Casino is the name given to places where people can gamble on games of chance. A casino can also offer other entertainment and facilities such as restaurants, hotels, bars and shops. There are many famous casinos around the world. Some of them are in Las Vegas, others are located in other cities and countries. The Bellagio in Las Vegas is one of the most well known casinos in the world. It has been featured in a number of movies and TV shows. Other famous casinos include the Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco, the Casino Lisboa in Lisbon and the Casino Baden-Baden in Germany.
Unlike lotteries and Internet gambling, which are primarily passive activities, casino gambling involves direct interaction between patrons or between players and dealers, or both. In addition, most casino patrons are surrounded by other gamblers, and the atmosphere is designed around noise, light, and excitement. In order to prevent cheating and stealing, which may occur in collusion or independently, most casinos have extensive security measures.
Most casinos make money by charging a percentage of bets placed on their games, which is known as the house edge. The house edge can be very small—less than two percent—but it adds up over millions of bets. Casinos also make money from the ancillary services they provide, such as dining, hotel rooms and (since the 1980s) video poker machines.
Some casinos give comps to their best players, which can be anything from free hotel rooms and meals to show tickets and limo service. However, studies indicate that the overall effect of a casino on a local economy is negative, because it attracts away spending from other forms of entertainment and causes problems with compulsive gambling.
